Reporting and Dashboards

Reporting and dashboards turn your business data into simple visual displays that help you make quick decisions - like creating charts that show whether your sales are going up or down.

What is Reporting and Dashboards?

Instead of looking through endless spreadsheets, you create visual reports and live dashboards that instantly show what's happening in your business.

Why Use Reporting and Dashboards?

Business Need: You have lots of data but need to understand it quickly to make decisions. Charts and dashboards show problems and opportunities immediately.

Example: Looking at 500 daily sales numbers is overwhelming. A dashboard shows your sales trend, top products, and problem areas all on one screen.

How to Create Business Reports

Simple Example: Coffee Shop Monthly Report

Your Data: Daily sales, popular drinks, busy hours, customer feedback

Step 1: Identify What Matters

• Total monthly sales: $45,000
• Best-selling drink: Latte (40% of orders)
• Busiest time: 8-10 AM (60% of daily sales)
• Customer rating: 4.2/5

Step 2: Choose Simple Charts

• Bar chart showing sales by drink type
• Line chart showing daily sales trend
• Pie chart showing sales by time of day

Step 3: Make It Easy to Read

• Clear titles: "March Sales by Product"
• Simple colors: Use 3-4 colors maximum
• Big numbers: Show $45,000 total prominently

Business Decisions from Report:

• "Latte sells best - let's promote our premium latte"
• "Morning rush is 60% of sales - schedule more staff 7-11 AM"
• "Sales dipped mid-month - investigate what happened"

When to Use Different Reports

Daily Reports - Quick Health Check

Use When: You need to monitor operations daily Example: Restaurant manager checks yesterday's sales, food costs, staff hours Business Decision: "Sales were down 20% yesterday - let's run a lunch special today"

Monthly Reports - Trend Analysis

Use When: You want to see patterns over time Example: Retail store tracks monthly revenue, returns, inventory levels Business Decision: "Sales grow 15% each month - let's expand our product line"

Project Reports - Specific Analysis

Use When: You need to analyze a particular question Example: "Which marketing campaign brought in the most customers?" Business Decision: "Email campaigns work better than social media - shift budget to email"

Simple Tools You Can Use

Excel/Google Sheets

• Create charts directly from your data
• Use templates for common business reports
• Share reports via email or cloud links
• Good for: Small businesses, simple reports

Dashboard Tools

• Power BI, Tableau for more advanced visuals
• Connect directly to your business systems
• Updates automatically when data changes
• Good for: Companies with lots of data, real-time monitoring

Simple Online Tools

• Google Data Studio (free)
• Canva for visual reports
• Many business apps have built-in reporting
• Good for: Quick reports, basic dashboards

Common Business Reports

Sales Dashboard Example

What to Show:

• This month's sales vs. last month
• Top 5 selling products
• Sales by region or store
• New customers vs. returning customers

Business Insights:

• "Sales up 25% from last month - marketing campaign worked"
• "Product A outsells everything else - stock up on Product A"
• "West region lagging - send support to west stores"

Financial Report Example

What to Show:

• Monthly revenue and expenses
• Profit margin trends
• Cash flow (money coming in vs. going out)
• Budget vs. actual spending

Business Insights:

• "Expenses growing faster than revenue - cut costs"
• "Profit margin improving each quarter - business is healthy"
• "Cash flow positive - safe to invest in growth"

Making Your Reports Better

Keep It Simple

• Show only the most important numbers
• Use clear, simple language
• Avoid technical jargon
• Focus on what needs action

Tell a Story

• Start with the main message: "Sales are growing"
• Use charts to support the story
• End with what to do next: "Increase inventory orders"

Update Regularly

• Daily reports for operations
• Weekly reports for management
• Monthly reports for trends
• Update immediately when something important changes

Quick Decision Guide

For Daily Operations: Create simple dashboards showing yesterday's key numbers For Monthly Planning: Use trend reports to see what's working and what isn't For Problem Solving: Create specific reports that dig into the problem area For Presentations: Use visual charts instead of data tables For Team Updates: Share simple dashboards everyone can understand

Reporting and dashboards transform your business data into clear visual stories that help you spot problems, find opportunities, and make confident decisions quickly.

Related Topics

Parent Topic:

• Descriptive Analytics Overview: Comprehensive descriptive analytics framework

Related Analytics Topics:

• Data Visualization: Chart types and visual design principles
• Statistical Summary: Key metrics and statistical measures
• Exploratory Data Analysis: Data investigation and pattern discovery